Printing plate securing means



June 30, 1953 w. T. GoLLwlfrzl-:R

PRINTING PLATE sEcURING MEANS.

original Filed Aug. '1, 194s ,|I l"l omo onAJavaJQ l le ol HS 2..... wmaM Junm. .m on s ...u L lao n P N.

, /NVENTOR @Va/ter 7. Go//w/zgr Arroz/VE Y6 APatented `lune 30, 1953TENT OFFICE :2,643,608 PRINTING PLATE sEoURING MEANS` Walter T.Gollwitzer,

Addressograph-Muiti mington,

Original application August 687,724. Divided and th 194:8-, Serial No.32,412

Euclid, Ohio, assigner to graph Corporation, Wil- Del., a corporation ofDelaware 1', 1946, Serial No.

is application June 11,

6 Claims. (C1, 10i-369) This application is a division o fmy copendingapplication, Serial No. 687,724, filed August 1, i945, novv U. S. PatentNo. 2,576,596.

rEhe present invention relates to printing quipment and moreparticularly to printing plates having novel characteristics andadvantages by which the printing plates are rendered especially Welladapted for embossing in an embossing machine such as that disclosed inmy aforesaid copending application, Serial No. 687,724, now U. S. PatentNo. 2,576,596, and for use as the printing device used in printingmachines of the type disclosed in my copending i application, Serial No.32,413, led June l1, 1948,

which is also c, division oi my aforesaid copending application, SerialNo. 687,724, now U. S. Patent No. 2,576,596. y

It has been customary in the past to employ printing devices of thegeneral Vcharacter to which one aspect of my present invention relates,to pass such devices through an embossing mechanism to provide Iprintingcharacters thereo-n, and finally to utilize such devices in printingmachines through which the devices are passed sequentially fOr printingsuch data as names and addresses of a list of customers, subscribers,and the like. A printing device, which may be simply a printing plate ora more complex unit involving other elements in addition to the plate,is usually provided for each customer, subscriber, etc. A supply of suchdevices is prepared and retained for periodical reuse. Although suchprinting devices and the mechanisms with which they are employed havegone into Wide use Vand have been successful in accomplishing greatsavings in time and economies in various type of operations, they havenevertheless required a great deal of manual handling. Thus, in thepast, it has been v necessary to take each printing plate and insert itmanually into a holding device for passing it through an embossingmachine or the like, to form printing characters thereon. After theprinting characters have been formed, it

has been customary to apply the plate manu- A ally to a supporting frameWhich may bear an identification card, control tabs, and other material.The complete printing device, usually comprising a frame and plateassembly, is then passed through printing mechanism, particular feedingdevices being required for handling such printing devices.

It is an object of my present invention to eliminate a large part oi themanual handling formerly required in the use of printing devices 2 ofthe aforesaid character by so modifying the ,printing plate' thatcertain manual operations may be eliminatedv and other operationsexpedited.

, A further object of my invention is to so form the printing plateblank itself that it is particularly Well adapted for automaticprocessing through embossing machines and for auto-matic handling inprinting machines.

Another object is to so modify the printing plate per se that it may beutilized in mechanismfor embossing, printing, e-tc., asmentioned above,but is also" still suitable'for use in existing types of equipment inthemanner which has been customary in the past. y

A further object is to form a groove along an 'edge cfa printing platewhich will facilitate utiligation of said plate in embossing, printingand like machines.

'Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description and claims and are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings which, by Way ofV illustration, vshovv preferredembodiments of the present invention and the pinciples thereof and whatI now consider to be the best mode in which I have -contemplatedapplyingthese principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the .sameor equivalent principles may be used and structural kchanges', may bemade as desired by those skilled in the art Without departing from thepresent invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In vthe drawings:

Fig. l is a plan or face view of the preferred orm of the novel printingPlate of this invenion;

Fig. 2 isV a view of the rear face of the plate yshown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the plate shown in Fig. 1 drawn to anenlarged scale and taken substantially on' the line V3---3 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of a printing device of the characterin.which the novel printngdplate of the present invention may be utiize vy Fig. 5 is a sectional detail View drawn to yan enlarged scale andtaken substantially on the line 5-5 on Fig. 4;

Fig. 5A is similar to Fig. 5, showing amodication; l Y

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view similar to Fig. 4 and showingVa modified form oi. a

printing devi-ce in which the novel printing plate 0i this invention maybe utilized;

A automatically withdrawn from fed into a jaw adapted to receive andretain the plate during the after the novel plate may be rolled to attenthe Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line1--7 on Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is another fragmentary elevational View of yet another modifiedform of printing device in which the novel printing plate of thisinvention may be utilized;

Fig. 9 is a sectional detail View taken substantially on the line 9-9 onFig. 8;

Figs. l and l1 are fragmental rear face views similar to Fig. 2 andshowing modified forms of the novel printing plate of this invention;and

Fig. 12 is a face view. similar to Fig. l, of another form of plate madeaccording to my invention.

The novel printing plate of the present invention is so constituted andarranged that plates of this nature may be stacked in the magazine of anembossing apparatus of the type disclosed in my aforesaid application,Serial No. 687,724, now U. S. Patent No.

the magazine and same while type characters are embossed on theembossing operation and theresame and insure that the type charactersembossed thereon are of uniform height. Likewise after type charactershave been embossed on the novel printing plates of the present inventionthese may be introduced into the magazine of a printing machine that isconstituted and arranged to have my novel printing plates fedtherethrough such as, for example, the machine disclosed in my aforesaidcopending application, Serial No. 32,413, In orderthat Ythe novelprinting plates of the present invention may be thus automaticallyadvanced through embossing, printing and like machines I provide agroove in desirably rectangular printing plates P of this inventionadjacent one of the longer edges of the plate.

Thus as illustrated in Fig. l a printing plate of the characterdisclosed in my Patent No. 1,955,803, patended April 24, 1934, isprovided in the present invention with a discontinuous groove G formedin one face thereof to .pass across the base of theserpentineprojections E alongone of the longer edges of this plate.V Itis advantageous to afford a groove as G in a plate as P because so to doenables sucha plate to be used in accordance with the present inventionand yet enables the plate to be used in the same manner as that in whicha plate such as. that disclosed in my aforesaid Patent No. 1,955,803 maybe utilized.

.Using a plate of the type shown in Fig. 10, a

groove as Gi may be formed to intersect the bases of the projections Elalong the edge of a printing plate as Pl, this particular plate being ofthe general character disclosed, for example, in Duncan Patent No.808,909, patented January 2, 1906. As a further modification, a similargroove as G2 may be formed to intersect substantially rectangularprojections E2 provided along the edge of a plate as P2, as disclosed inFig. 1l. A

groove of the same character, yas shown at G3, may be provided adjacentone of the longer edges of a substantially rectangular plate as P3, Fig.12, Which is not provided with serpentine or serrated projections alongthe longer edges thereof. With all these various kinds of plates,however,

' a groove as G, Gl, G2 or G3 will be formed in one face of the plate,and preferably the lower or intaglio face, adjacent to and generallyparallel with one of the longer edges thereof, since so to do enablessuch plates to be fed through embossing, printing or like machinesWithout 2,576,596, to be thereafter mounting such plates in the frame orcarrier customarily provided for printing plates as these have been usedheretofore.

In the plate P3, Fig. 12, there is preferably provided a notch which maybe arcuate in form and of a width and depthgenerally corresponding tothe width and depth of one of the concave elements between projectingparts E of the serpentine edged plate of Figs. 1 and 2. The purpose ofthis notch is to cooperate with certain feeding mechanism, as will beexplained hereinafter. As the plates of Figs. 1, 10, and 11 all havenotch elements, provision of a special notch therein is unnecessary.

While in the illustrated forms of my invention I have shown the grooveas G formed adjacent to one of the longer edges vof a substantiallyrectangular printing plate as P, it will be understood that such agroove might, if desired, be formed along one of the shorter edges of asubstantially rectangular printing plate without departing from thepurview of my invention, for so to do will enable a printing plate to befed through embossing, printing and like machines in the same manner,generally speaking, as that in which a plate having a groove as G formedtherein adjacent one of the longer edges thereof may be fed through suchmachines. Also, while the groove is preferably in the lower or intaglioface, it may be formed in the upper or printing face of the plate.

A groove as G may be formed in a printing plate as P by resort t0 a dieequipped with a cutting blade that will be effective to form the grooveas G in the course of operation of the die. Grooving of the plate maythus be accomplished simultaneously with the operation of cutting theplate out of sheet stock, if desired. However, in some instances it maybe advantageous to feed pre cut printing plates, or strips from whichsuch plates are to be cut, which are to be equipped with the grooves Gpast a suitable rotating cutting tool. To do so is within the purview ofmy invention although preferably the groove as G will be formed byproviding a die with a cutting blade as above described.

The novel printing plate of the present invention is suitable vfor useas formed and need not be mounted in a frame or carrier Fin the mannerin which similar printing plates have heretofore been mounted. However,the novel printing plate of the presentinvention may advantageously beutilized in a frame or carrier. Thus where it is advantageous to have'an index card associated with the printing plate so as to facilitatefiling and other handling of the printing plate, such a plate may bemounted advantageously in a frame or carrier F.` Any of the illustratedplates as P, Pl, P2 or P3 may be mounted in a frame or carrier in place,for example, of a plate of the character shown in my aforesaid PatentNo. 1,955,803. Thus the plate P,`Fig. l, of the present invention isVcapable of being mounted directly in the frame or carrier shown in thatpatent in the same manner as that in which the serpentine or wavy edgedplate shown in that patent may be mounted in such'fra'me. likewise, theplates Pl, P2 or P3 may be used in frames or carriers of the characterwidely used in the prior art, for example, in the carrier disclosed inthe aforesaid Duncan Patent No. 808,909.

However, where a printing plate as P is equipped according to my presentinvention, with a groove such as G, Figs. 1 and 2, resort may be hadadvantageously to a lframe or carrier particularly constituted andarranged Ato ycooperate with such a plate. 'One of the marked`advantages of the present invention is 4thatsuch Ia plate may beelectively retained on such 'a carrier vby merely engaging one marginalvportion of 'the plate adjacent the groove formed therein with asuitable retaining means aorded -on Vthe frame or carrier. `In such aninstance plate retaining means need not be provided on the carrier forthe opposite edge of the plate.

Thus, for example, inthe frame or carrier F' shown in Fig. 4, which isgenerally -of the character vdisclosed in rny "Patent No. Re. 22,249,patented Januar-y l2, 1943, a card lC is retained on the face of theframe F by 'means RC in the customary manner. It will 'be noted,however, that the rranie F' does not include -retaining devices arranged'for cooperation with the edge vol the plate P, `mounted Veon the frameF, that lies adjacent to the 'index 'card C. As Vis customary, the frameF is provided with "a lower bead 'LB which extends along the lower edgethereof. However, beneath the plate and opposite the upturned edge ofthe lower "bead L'B, -an element of the :frame is formed to project'into the groove and provide a retainingr lip RL. See Fig. f5. The freeedge of Athe retaining lip RL is ldesirably formed to becomplementary-to the lcrosssection coniiguration of lthe `groove as Gand wherein the present instance the 'groove -as G iis .substantiallyV-shaped in cross section, the free edge of the retaining 'lip RL `is'likewise of V-s'haped cross section. The vfree -edge of the retaininglip RL is accurately spaced from the adjacent face of the lower 'beadLB, such Vspacing 'being accurately related vto the rthickness vof theplate between-the inner edge of fthe :groove as Gand the face of theplate opposite that in which Vthe groove G is formed. Therefore,`vvlierl a .plate as P is slid 'into a retaining bead asLB,the-retaining lip as RLmay-pass into 'the A.groove .as G,

'a retain-ing lip as RL passing into a .groove es G. Where resort `ishad -to afretaining lip ,as RL adapted for cooperation with La groove-as 5G, it is not necessary that the spacing of the free .edge of the'reta-ininglip as '-RL from the inner face of the Nlower bea-.d as 'LBbe maintained .with .e-X- treme accuracy, reasonable accuracy :beingsufli- 'cient since the-usual manufacturing tolerances, or even more,are Ipermissible in .such spacing.

In Fig. -5A the plate 'P 'has a groove ;G .on the printing face instead.of @the rea-r face .and the upturned edge of the lower bead 'LB isformed to =provide a retaining flip rRLfl, .having the ,same function asythe element RL of Fig. .5.. By this means, v.the plate may be retained:solely bythe lower edge thereof.

The retention of .a :plate as P :on a frame as F 'by merely .engaging.one Ledge lthereof .in rthe Emanner shown, for example in Fig. 4, isad-vall- Vtageous for this .eliminates the necessity ofspacing.retaining devices .for .opposite edges of a .printing plate from .eachother in such a Way as to care for printing :plates of Vvarying @Widthsrlhus while .fall printing .plates may the made of uniform -vvidthVwithin customary :manufacturing tolerances, .after embossing they vari7Somewhat- `Such variations are due to differences in :the lengths .ofdifferent names and `addresees or .other .matter 'to vbe printed fromY.type characters T `embossed on plates as:P. v'Printing plate'sexpandin .width Yto vvarious :degrees when `they are Smbcssed, depending :uponthe :number of rows of .characters embossed. HeIetDfOre the Spacingbetween retaining Adevices for opposite :edges of a printing ,plate on,a trame has been balanced. Vso that those printing :plates 01.1 whichbut e small number of type :characters Ewere embossed Y would loeproperly retained against transverse and in vievvof theinterrelationshipbetween the aforesaid thickness of the plate and the4spacing of the free edge of 'the'reta'ining lip .RL from the 'bead LB,the plate as P nis heldin 'position` between the bead LB and the lipTRL. The "f1tting of the retaining lip as RL into :the groove as G is ofcourse efiectivefto 'prevent'transverse movement vof the plate as Ppnthe frame as'F.

'in order to prevent longitudinal movement .of

the plate on the frame, :resort fmaybe had to yielding tongues .such fasare ycustomarily provided fer 'this'purposegthe 'tongues v1T shown inFig. e desirably being of l the'character'disclosed in my aforesaid'Patent No. fRe. 22,249. in order that the plate as `P maycooperat-cwithtongues as T notches :as N are :formed in 'the shorter edges of theplate .in vthe vmanner :and for the purpose disclosed in my aforesaidReissue Patent No. 22,249. t 'will be understood however-'that resortmight Well be had to other :arrangements for retaining a plate las Pvagainst vlongitudinal movement on a frame as F, asxfor example, .by

resorting to spring' tongues fsuch fas fare disclosed in the patenttoMohler 1,'812;294 ,gpatented July 7,1931.

`While it is desirable thatthe meedere of'the 'retaining lipRL neatly:lit into agroovefas in a rprinting plate as P, 'the Yusualmanufacturing tolerances'are permissible, for `itris desirable 'that thefree Vedge of 'the retaining lip as'RL noti-it into the groove as G andforce zthe .-platefas P so tightly against rvthe adjacent 'facecf the`frame as F-as to impair free Vslidingfrnovementfof'the plateas Plontothe faceo'f the Tfra-me `as fFwith movement on the Y.face nf theframe endet `the same time those printing-fplates on Which-a largenumber of type ollaracters T ,had Vto be embossed would not bind on suchretaining devices.

However, while .tliefnovel printing plate -of this .invention may beretained on .a frame as F by merely engaging fone of the longer edges`thereof with .a retaining means therefor, as the retaining lip RLor'RLI, a frame ,or carrier adapted to receive the novel printing plateof the present invention may be equipped lwith retaining .devices.adapt-ted fQr cooperation .with lopposite ofthe longeredges ofaprintingplate asf?, Thus the .framexFZ shown iin 6 A,is Aarranged toretain an index card :as l.C2 .on .one face thereof and plate',vretainingrdevces asRDare provided at spaced intervals Vonthe face .ofthe rframe adjacent v to the yri-:taining .devices RC adapted to retainthe lower edge of anindex cardafs C2 mounted on the ,face of the`fratrie as,F2,. As -best `shovvn in Eig. ,'l .the .iframe E12 lis,provided Vwith .a lower bead LB? that is arranged "in the .ma-nnerconventionalin theart, which `is to Say. this bead visnot.eininteri with,a retaining 'lisp as RL. However, .in this instance the retaining -de-.vices RD kare equipped lvvith retaining 'lips RLZ `that `are arrangedsimilarly 'to the ,retaining vlips RL! Iand ,these retaining vlips R'Llare adapted to cooperate-:With the ,groove as-G-"in-a plateas Pdisposed on the face oft-he frame-F2. v'Infthis case the groove G isformed "in the Yrelief .or Yprinting face ofthe plate'P. Asexplained-,hereinabove it is 'not .-necessary'that the vretainingdevices RD and `the retaining lips :BL2- thereon -be accuratelyspaced-fromitheilower bead-as LB land advantageously :the spacingbetween rsuch retaining devices .and:bea1:mayijbefllehSie .t0

` on the frame or carrier.

amply accommodate the maximum of expansion of a plate as might beeffected by vembossing type characters over substantially the entiresurface of a printing plate as P.

When retaining devices as RD are afforded in conjunction with retaininglips as RL or RL2 a plate as P may be effectively retained on the faceof the frame as F without resorting to a lower bead as LBZ and a frameF3 equipped in this manner is illustrated in Fig. 8. Thus it will beseen that the novel printing plate of the present invention may beeffectively retained on a frame or carrier therefor by providingretaining devices that are adapted to cooperate with a groove `as Gformed in the plate. Such retaining devices may be arranged to cooperatewith either the lower or the upper edge of a plate as P mounted thereon,as shown in Figs. 4 .and 8 respectively, and With either the relief orintaglio face, as shown in desired, retaining means may be provided forcooperation with the edge of the plate opposite the grooved edge. Anarrangement of this character is shown in Fig. 6 and could be combinedwith the retaining means RLS, Fig. 8. In this respect it will beunderstood that where a fra-me as F is equipped with a bead as LB and aretaining lip as RL, Figs. 4, 5, 5A, conventional retaining devices maybe provided on the face of the frame for cooperation with the upper edgeY of the plate and such retaining devices may be arranged in the mannerconventional in the art.

When the groove as G is formed in the plate as P on the face of theplate on which the type characters Gl appear in intaglio, the groove en.gaging means are formed in the body of the carrier or frame F, as inFigs. 5 and 9. Where the groove is in the relief side of the plate, thegroove engaging elements RLI, RLZ, Figs. 5A and 7, are preferably formedas part of overhang bead or other plate retaining elements.

Thus where a novel printing plate of the present invention is to bemounted on a frame or carrier therefor, such frame or carrier will beequipped with retaining means that are adapted to cooperate with agroove as G formed adjacent to one marginal edge of the plate to bemounted Such retaining means will be arranged in the manner describedhereinabove with particular reference to the groove engaging element RL,RL-i, etc., and in such an instance a plate as P will be effectivelyretained on the frame or carrier therefor whether or not such frame orcarrier is equipped with retaining means adapted for cooperation withthe edge ci the plate as P opposite the edge along which the groove as Gis formed.

While the novel printing plate of the present invention may be mountedon a frame or carrier, as in those instances where it is necessary oradvantageous that an index card be associated with the plate, one of themarked advantages of the printing plate of the present invention is thatsuch a iiat plate may be automatically ied through embossing, printingand like machines without being mounted on a frame or carrier therefor,something which has not been heretofore possible in fiat printing platesthat were not equipped with spacing ilanges or other reenforcing means.The primary reason that this is possible with the hat plate of thepresent invention is the provision of the groove as G adjacent to one ofthe edges of the plate. Such a groove enables the plate to beeffectively grasped Figs. 5, 5A, 7 and 9. If ,Y

.- and held by ymechanism by which it may be fed through embossing,printing and like machines.

Where the novel printing plates of the present invention are to beautomatically ed through an embossing machine to have type characters Tembossed therein, such embossing machine or apparatus is lequipped withlmeans particularly adapted forcooperation `with plates including agroove as G. An embossing machine so equipped is illustrated anddescribed in my aforesaid copending application Serial No. 687,724, nowU. S. Patent No. 2,576,596.

The various forms of printing plates described hereinabove may, ofcourse, be embossed in any embossing machine of the character that hasheretofore been employed in the embossing of similar printingV plates.However, the various forms of the printing plate of this invention areparticularly adapted Vfor embossing in an embossing machine of the kinddisclosed in my copending application Serial No. 687,724, now U. S.Patent No. 2,576,596, of which this application is a division, inasmuchas the above described structural characteristics of the printing plateof the present invention render the plate particularly suitable for usein such an embossing machine.

Moreover, while as described hereinabove the novel* printing plate ofthis invention may be mounted on a carrier and thereafter be used in amanner well understood in the art, the novel printing plate of thisinvention, in each of the various forms described hereinabove isparticularly suitable for use in a printing machine of the kinddisclosed in my copending application Serial No. 32,4313, iiled June 1l,1948, which is also a division of my aforesaid application, Serial No.687,724, now U. S. Patent No. 2,576,596 without being mounted on such acarrier.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodimentsof my invention, it is to be understood that these are capable ofvariation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited tothe precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchchanges and alterations as fall within the purview of the followingclaims.

l claim:

l. In combination a printing plate having a marginal plate retaininggroove formed in one face thereof and a plate holding frame consistingof a baclring element against which said plate may be retained, anoverlying element on said frame for retaining said plate in contact withsaid iirst named element, groove engaging means projecting from one ofsaid elements into the groove in said plate to prevent lateraldisplacement or said plate, .and means for preventing longitudinaldisplacement of said plate with respect to said frame;

2. In combination, a printing plate having a marginal plate retaininggroove formed in one face thereof, a plate holding frame consisting of abacking element against which said plate may be retained, an overlyingelement integral with said backing element for holding said plate inface to face contact with said backing element, means in the form of alip projecting into the groove in said plate from one of said elementsto prevent lateral displacement of said plate relative to said frame andyieldable means borne by said frame for preventing longitudinaldisplacement of said plate.

3. A substantially rectangular flat printing I plate blank adapted to beheld for free longitudinal movement while restrained from lateral andangular displacement by groove engaging means, said blank having agroove of substantial depth relative to the thickness of said blankextended thereinto from one face of said blank, said groove being formedin and parallel with a series of intermittent projections extending froma longitudinal edge of said blank.

4. A substantially rectangular at printing plate blank adapted to beheld for free longitudinal movement While being restrained from lateraland angular displacement by groove eng-aging means, said blank havingundulating edge portions and a groove of substantial depth relative tothe thickness of said blank extended thereinto from one face thereof andacross protruding elements of one of said edge portions in one face ofsaid blank and adjacent to and parallel With a longitudinal edge elementof said blank.

5. A substantially rectangular flat printing plate blank having notchedlongitudinally edge elements aiording projecting edge portions and agroove for holding said plate against transverse and lateral movementwhile permitting longitudinal movement relative to a holding means, saidn groove being extended into the blank from one face thereof and along amarginal portion thereoi so as to have discontinuous elements acrosssaid projecting edge portions along and substantially parallel with onelongitudinal edge of said blank, said groove being of substantial depthrel- 10 ative to the thickness of said blank to afford a positivecontrol element for holding and guiding said plate.

6. A substantially at and rectangular printing plate blank adapted to beheld for vfree longitudinal movement While being restrained from lateraland angular displacement by engaging means, said blank having a grooveof substantial depth relative to the thickness of said blank extendedthereinto from one face of said blank adjacent to and generally parallelwith a longitudinal edge element of said blank, and a notch in saidlongitudinal edge of said blank disposed to interrupt said groove andadapted to cooperate with means for controlling longitudinaldisplacement of said blank.

WALTER T. GOLLWITZER.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number'Name Date 478,750 Horgan July 12, 1892 955,802 Howard Apr. 19, 19101,116,032 De Minico Nov. 3, 1914 1,955,803 Gollwitzer Apr. 24, 19342,248,726 Stoll 1 July 8, 1941 2,402,706 Sprigg June 25, 1946 `2,425,325Hueber Aug. 12, 1947 2,425,350 Schultz 1 Aug. 12, 1947

